Emotional Images of Local Families Returning after Evacuation

The Rock and Fortress Times

The Rock and Fortress Exhibition is a Let’s Go Limited Project

WORLD WAR II TUNNELS

OPEN TO PUBLIC 2005

FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE GREAT LEADERS

In May 2005 the World War II Tunnels were opened to the general public and now you too can follow in the footsteps of Churchill, Sikorski and De Gaulle and walk through this amazing testament to the soldiers and civilians who toiled in the very bowels of the Rock during the darkest days of the War

VISITORS IMPRESSED BY WW II TUNNELS

First time visitors to the World War II Tunnels went away full of praise.

"The history was so interesting," commented Margaret Gould of Portimao, Portugal. "The guide was excellent and the walk was not difficult. I think it took less than an hour and we were able to stop for refreshments." "I was very, very impressed," commented Allan Page, a Londoner. "It made my holiday."

TUNNELS EXCAVATED TO MAKE A FORTRESS INSIDE A FORTRESS

In May 2005 the World War II Tunnels were opened to the general public and now you too can follow in the footsteps of Churchill, Sikorski and De Gaulle and walk through this amazing testament to the soldiers and civilians who toiled in the very bowels of the Rock during the darkest days of the War The year was 1940, Britain was at war with Germany and Italy and the future looked bleak for Gibraltar. The mighty but tiny Rock of Gibraltar was surrounded by the enemy. Generalissimo Franco of Spain was indebted to Hitler for his support in the Spanish Civil War. The Spanish colony of Ceuta, a few miles across the Straits of Gibraltar, had its guns trained on the Rock and Morocco was under the control of the Hitler friendly Vichy French.

Winston Churchill and the British military leaders believed that an attack on Gibraltar was imminent and, if the Rock, the guardian of the Mediterranean, should be taken, the countries of North Africa and the Middle East, with their wealth of oil and minerals would fall into the hands of the enemy. The Rock must be held. What was to be done? The answer was to construct a massive network of tunnels, to build a fortress inside a fortress, a city within a city. The new tunnels needed to be large enough to house a hospital, a power station, military headquarters and accommodation for nearly 10,000 troops and civilians.

EVACUATED GIBRALTARIANS RETURN

The threat of invasion forced the evacuation of thousands of Gibraltarians to different parts of the world, including Jamaica, Madeira, Northern Ireland and London.

As it turned out they would have been safer on the Rock. The evacuation, however, had an important consequence because when the evacuees returned after the war they found they had gained a national identity; they were no longer simply people living in Gibraltar, they were now a people, the GIBRALTARIANS.

Location:                                              Hay’s Level

Opening  times                                      Mon-Sat 10.30 - 17.30 

Price:                                                    N/A

Reservations:                                        Tel: 200 45957 email: rock.fort@gibtelecom.net